Method and system for optimizing cell-neighbor lists

Abstract

A count is made of the number of mobile assisted handoff (MAHO) attempts between a service cell and a targeted cell. A count is also made of the number of times the targeted cell is considered a Best Candidate (BestCand) for handoff from the service cell. If the targeted cell is not included in the service cell's neighbor list, a potential neighbor cell (PNC), hysteresis is added to the targeted cell to prevent handoffs to the targeted cell. The MAHO and BestCand counts are determined and if the counts meet or exceed predetermined threshold values the targeted cell is added to the list. If the targeted cell is on the neighbor list, no hysteresis is added. If the count data does not meet or exceed the threshold values, the target is removed from the list

Description

CLAIM OF PRIORITY UNDER 35 USC 119[0001] Priority is hereby claimed under 35 USC 119(e) to Provisional Application Serial No. 60 / 370,476 filed on Apr. 5, 2002.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002] 1 Technical Field of the Invention[0003] The present invention relates to digital wireless communication systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to neighboring cells within a digital wireless communication system. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to managing neighbor-cell lists within the digital wireless communication system.[0004] 2 Description of Related Art[0005] In cellular mobile communication systems, a mobile handset communicates with base transceiver stations ("BTS's") positioned throughout a geographic area. Each BTS broadcasts on a discrete radio channel within a specified coverage area. A multiplicity of BTS sites may produce an array of cells that allows the system to provide radio coverage over a wide geographic area.[0006] During a call, th...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

0014] A neighbor list in a cellular telecommunications network may be modified by selecting a cell-neighbor-cell pair for consideration. Mobile assisted handoff count data and best candidate count data are analyzed and compared against a predetermined threshold values. If the count data is less than the threshold, the neighbor-cell is removed from the neighbor list. The process is repeated until all the cells in the neighbor list have been screened. As new cells are added, the process is repeated.

0015] A potential neighbor-cell may be added to a neighbor list by adding a hysteresis value to the potential neighbor-cell and then adding the pot

Problems solved by technology

Large neighbor lists in a cellular network result in a large number of handoff candidates.

These lists can lead to excessive handoff problems, since the handoff candidates are in the neighbor list, such as dropped calls and loss in overall quality of the cellular network.

Excessively large neighbor lists pose a frequency-planning problem as it becomes more difficult to identify available frequencies for neighboring cells without violating frequency-planning constraints.

In many systems facilities for such peg counters do not exist due to the fact that they are memory intensive.

Another drawback to the peg counter method is that the peg counter method cannot be used to identify new neighbor possibilities.

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